Mar., 1916 
65 
A CHAPTER IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE WREN-TIT 
By WALTER C. NEWBERRY 
WITH TWO PHOTOS BY TRACY I. STORER 
D URING the nesting season of 1915 it was the writer’s pleasant privilege 
to closely observe a pair of Intermediate Wren-tits ( Chamaea fasciata 
fasciata). Many things were noted of much interest, supposedly because 
the bird was an entirely new species in my own experience. But when it came 
to an attempt to find out what other observers might have learned about this 
unique bird, so as to make comparisons with the results of my own observa- 
tions, I was surprised to find that practically nothing had been published in re- 
gard to the nesting behavior of any of the subspecies of the wren-tit. The index 
to bird literature maintained at the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, 
showed only bare records of occurrence in many localities, and a few nesting 
dates and brief descriptions of 
nests and eggs. The following 
notes are, therefore, offered to 
Condor readers in the belief 
that they will add something to 
our knowledge of the life his- 
tory of the wren-tit. 
A piece of vacant property 
in North Cragmont, Berkeley, 
with an area of about 100 by 
150 feet, was the chosen forag- 
ing ground of this pair of 
wren-tits and they were never 
observed to wander farther 
afield. Along one edge of the 
lot was a small creek with 
thick clumps of willow on 
either bank. The rest of the 
lot occupied higher ground 
and was scatteringly cover- 
ed with thick clumps of 
poison oak ( Rhus diversiloba) , chaparral brush ( Baccharis pilularis ) , and blue 
witch (Solatium umhellif eruni) . The open spaces were grown up with weeds such 
as cow parsnip (Heraeleum lanatum) , horehound ( Marrubium vulgar e), teasel 
( Dipsacus fullonum), and long grass. The only tree on the higher portion of 
die lot was an elderberry (Sambucus glauca ) about twenty feet high. 
The partially built nest was discovered on March 23, and only cautious 
approaches were made while construction was going on for fear of disturbing the 
birds and causing them to abandon operations. But few facts were noted dur- 
ing this time. Apparently both birds were engaged in building the nest, this 
conclusion being drawn from the facts that the two were in sight the greater part 
of tlx- time and that at no time while the birds were under observation through- 
out tlie entire nesting period could the sexes be distinguished. Another thing 
noted was that the birds always approached the nest over the same route and 
each time with much caution, this being the case as long as the nest was occupied. 
Fig. 27. Nest of the Wren-tit in baccharis 
bush 
